There is no single global police force to enforce international law, yet states still honor treaties, submit to arbitration, and respect diplomatic immunity far more often than not. Understanding why — and knowing exactly when and how that system breaks down — is what separates professionals who can operate confidently in international relations from those who only know the theory.

Presented by the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy, this course gives professionals a working understanding of the international regulatory system: the network of relations, laws and institutions that has made states increasingly interdependent, up to the point where every economic entity today is deeply integrated with others in the global system.

After Completing the Program, You Will Be Able To:

• Explain the foundational principles of international law and its sources.
• Examine how international organizations develop and enforce global regulations.
• Analyze the key treaties, conventions and agreements that shape international law.
• Navigate the legal frameworks governing international trade, investment and commerce.
• Assess the real-world challenges of enforcing international law, and apply its principles to international negotiations.

Who Should Attend?

• Personnel of international and diplomatic affairs, and legal professionals.
• Officers responsible for international agreements, and directors of international relations offices.
• Graduates of international relations, and staff of international organizations.
• Anyone wanting to understand the legal frameworks behind global governance.

Module 1: Does International Law Have Teeth?

• Definition, sources and historical development of international law
• Principles of state sovereignty and jurisdiction
• The UN and its agencies, the International Court of Justice, the ICC and the WTO as enforcement mechanisms

Module 2: Treaties — How Nations Actually Commit

• Bilateral and multilateral treaties, and how they are interpreted and implemented
• Key international conventions, such as the Geneva Conventions and Kyoto Protocol
• Bilateral investment treaties, investor-state dispute settlement, and the controversies around investment arbitration

Module 3: Protecting People

• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human-rights mechanisms
• Contemporary issues in human-rights law
• Laws of armed conflict, protection of civilians, humanitarian assistance, and accountability for war crimes

Module 4: Trade and the Environment

• WTO agreements and trade-dispute resolution mechanisms
• Regional trade agreements such as NAFTA and the EU
• Environmental-protection principles and agreements such as the Paris Agreement and Montreal Protocol, and their compliance mechanisms

Module 5: When States Clash

• Principles of state responsibility
• Diplomatic privileges and immunities